Chuck



0a. 7; 1941. w. J. BRETH 2,257,898

CHUCK Filed Jan 16, 1959 Z'Shets-Sheet 1 r 4 I I n 5 I INVENTOR WALTERJ. BRETH 0 ATTORNEYS Oct. 7, 1941. w. BRETH I I 2,257,898

CHUCK" Filed Jan. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR v WALTER J. BRETHATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES Q 2,257,898 I I i CHUCKWalter J. Breth, Akron, Ohio, assigngr to The General Tire & Rubbercompany, Akron," Ohio, a corporation ofOhio h l fi ehi w 1t a sea re 549? 5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for holding and rotating annularbodies, more particularly to a chuck for mounting and rotating apneumatic an u s h as a P umatic v l ti Q a h s o us i t l ni a io 9fPneum i tires.

It is an object of the invention to provide an eepar t s o ev a a er men h v n means for engaging the inner periphery of an ann lu a a ural y 9s c ss e e s n automatically retain the annulus during rotation .o e a eAnother object is to provide a chuck or mountapparatus for an annuluswhich is provided with a plurality of radially extending legs whichreceive the annulus and which legs are under a radial thrust exerted bythe driving force imparted to thechuck to rotate the latter.

Another and more specific object is to provide an apparatus for mountingand rotating annular bodies which has a number of sets of foot elem nt wi h en a e the ula o y to b mounted and rotated and can be interchangedand al na d ust a des e to a a the apparatus for annuli of differentsize. Other o je ts and v a e w ll bec m a a en rom h to w e d i descrpt on o a u h e embo im o h e itio m e n c i h W t h q pan e d awin s.in w i h E hts 1 s an l e i na riew w t pa ts removed, showing a chuckfor mounting an air bag, constructed in accordance with the principlesofth p es n inve o the a has in u h a use n th vulc io f ne m i re a d onparti w Fig.2 is a sectional View, with; parts removed, talgensubstantially on the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the,construction of one of the radially movable legsand the associated fellymember or foot element;

Fig. 4 is asectional detail taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig.3

Fig. 5is an elevational view, withparts broken away, of a modified formof felly or root element; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view, withparts broken away, showing a modifiedform of root element to be employedwhen the apparatus ofthe present invention is used for "mounting androtating a pneumatic tire; v

7 g. 7 is a sectional view, with parts removed, taken-substantially ontheline Tl--'| of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8-.is. an elevational view, partly in section and:withlparts.removed;.showing .a supplemental 55" 9 QX'Pm Q I9 el me temployed when 1 1? ap aratu us f r mo ting ail r t h a ,hh m tit 1 1 1?b r diam er a a sh W n 1s-, eh

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially Q the 9:3 s- J 1 h -be Wa d i l l fi man ng n ust i re ar nl m oh c at o whe e t'i cde lre le rhetess ry to m unt ann s of one character or another for the purpose ofworking on the same while it is stationary or while it is rotating, at arelatively high rate of speed. For example, in cleaning; dressing orresurfacing air bags, they are called, which are used to inflatepneumatic tires during vulvanization of the latter, the air bags arerotated in the manner of a wheel and an operator performs certainoperations on the rotating annular surface thereof. Again, in retreadingor recapping tires it is desirable to remove portions of the old tread.rubber and otherwise prepare the tire for the applicationthereto of thenew tread rubber. Certain of the dressing. operations can be 'performedto advantage if the tire is mounted'and other operations require thatthe tire be rotated at a relatively high velocity; It will be apparentthat in'large p lants where a great many air bags o t esafe t he eated ihe sh fashiohflit becomes of considerable importance to reduce the timenecessary for mounting" and demounting each annular body on the chuck'ordevice used for rotating the sam'e. 'Preyiously, devices used formounting and" rotating. pneumatic tires and the like, were soconstructed that the operator was required toperform some specialmanipulation in order to lock the tireor air bag in place. Alsmafter thedesired operations had been performed on the air bag or tire, it wasnecessary to manipulate the chuck or mounting device in a e manner at grit ha e 'st p r e to r le srthe annu u ere r m- Bythe a esth lhre iqh hhpa u e videdwhich automatically locks the annulus in place upon slightrotation of the device and rel a e he-a nulu hen the i in shaft r ret rhh hehh kli st h JEteferr-ing to the drawings by numerals of reference,which indicate like parts throughout the several views, theinventionwill now be described g eate vti t l a ap lied to a chuck ofthe radial expandingtype. -'I{he apparatuscomprises arotatableunernberor spider 'I carried b'yfa driven shaft} being.retainedthereon by means of asuita lec lla iI-Ihemember is o s 9. free.onthe. shaft .2- ,for rotationwith respect thereto and preferably rideson an anti-friction bushing or bearing 4. The shaft 2 is journalled in astandard 5 which may be part of any apparatus with which the chuck is tobe employed or may be merely a means for supporting the chuckindependent of any related apparatus. Suitable drive means, such as anelectric motor (not shown), is provided for actuating the shaft 2 and isequipped with stopping and starting control means of conventionalcharacter. A plurality of radially disposed rods or leg members 6 areslidably carried by the spider I in spaced relation with respect to oneanother. Preferably the rods or legs 6 are slidablymounted in sockets orbores I formed in the spider I. The spider I may be formed of one ormore pieces. In the event that it is an integral casting as shown, thebores or sockets I may be formed during the casting operation bysuitable cores, or by drilling.

The leg members 6 are radially slidable in the sockets 1 and securedagainst rotation about their longitudinal axes by keys 8 secured inouter portions of the sockets by means of pins 9. The keys 8 ride inaxial grooves lll formed in the rod or leg members 6.

The spider I is apertured or cut away in the region of each of thesockets to'provide gear cages II which receive bevel gears I2 threadedlymounted on threaded portions I5 of the leg members 6. Abutments I6 andll of the gear cages I I engage end portions or shoulders of the gearsI2 to restrain axial movement of the latter so that upon rotationof thegears the leg members or rods 6 are projected or retracted dependingupon the direction of rotation of the gears.

A ring gear I8 is mounted on the driven shaft 2 adjacent the spider Iand secured against rotation by a key I9. This gear meshes with all ofthe bevel gears I2 so that upon rotation of the ring gear I8 relative tothe spider I all of the bevel gears I2 are synchronously rotated in thesame relative direction so as to simultaneously project or retract allof the leg members 6.

Mounted on reduced diameter portions of each of the legs 6 is an arcuatefelly or foot element 2|. These elements are in effect segments of acircular felly which engages substantially the entire inner periphery-ofan annulus to be rotated by the device such, for example, as an air bag22. Each of the felly' elements is of a suflicient length so that whenthe leg members 6 are completely retracted, end 23-of one felly elementis relatively close to end 24 of the next adjacent felly element, asindicated by the broken lines of Fig. 3. In mounting the air bag 22 orother annulus on the chuck it is placed so that the inner peripherythereof, which is usually in the form of a thickened head 21, rests onone or more of the uppermost felloes or foot elements and seats in acircumferential concavity or V-shaped groove 28 formed in the outwardlydirected surface of each of the foot elements. Preferably, pins 29secure the felloes or foot elements on the spokes or legs 6 and preventrotation of the foot elements so as to maintain them in circumferentialalignment with one another. The shaft 2 is then actuated by the drivingmechanism so as to rotate the ring gear I8. The ring gear thensimultaneously rotates all of the bevel gears I2 so that the latterscrew the legs or spokes 6 outwardly to increasethe effective diameterof the gears opposite foot or felly elements which engage the bead 2] ofthe air bag 22 about sub- 75- attests stantially the entire innerperiphery thereof. Upon engagement of the foot elements 2I with the beadof the air bag, further radial movement of the legs or spokes 6 isarrested and the bevel gears I2 are locked against rotation by engage- Iment with the abutments I6. Continued rotation of the driven shaft 2 andring gear I8 then drives the spider or rotatable member I through thelocked bevel gears I2. Thus the air bag 22 is automatically locked orsecured on the chuck during rotation of the latter.

After the completion of the finishing or trimming operation on the airbag the power drive is released from the driven shaft 2 and a. brakingaction applied'which is transmitted to the ringge-ar. I8. The inertia ofthe air bag 22 and the spider or rotatable member I continues to rotatethe latter which results in a reverse rotation of the bevel gears I2,retracting the legs or spokes 6 which disengages the foot elements orfelloes 2I from the bead 21 of the air bag. Thus upon stopping the shaft2 the air bag is automatically disconnected or unlocked from the chuck.Hence the rotating device of the present invention may be loaded andunloaded merely'by placing the annulus to be rotated on the fellyelements and actuating the shaft 2, then stopping the shaft 2 andliftingthe annulus from the contracted felly elements. a 1

In Fig.5 is illustrated a felly element of the character employed whenthe device-is to'be used for mounting or rotatingair bags or otherannuli relatively larger than that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This iellyelement has a'relatively greater circumferential curvature along its annulus engaging surface 36 than that of the felly element shownin Fig. 3,which has a relatively small circumferential curvature along itsannulus-engaging surface 3I. Also, the socket part of the felly or footelement of Fig. 5 has a relatively deeper radial thickness than thesocket part of the felly or foot element of Fig. '3 to give a greatereffective diameter to the device;

When using the rotating mechanism of the present invention for mountingpneumatic ve hicle tires, foot elements of the character shown in Figs.6 and 7- are employed' These elements have a greater axial length thancircumferen tial length and are secured on the reduced diameter endportions of the legs or spokes 6; preferably at a central portion of thefoot elements. At opposite ends 'of body 34 are abutments 35 and 36 forreceiving annular circum ferential beads 31 of a pneumatic tire 38-to bemounted on the device. An upstanding dome of crown 39 is formed on thebody 34 between the abutments 35 and 36 and is normally disposed betweenthe beads 31 and-internally'of the tire being rotated. Shoulders 40 areformed at the ends of the dome 39' adjacent the abutments 35 and 36 toengage the inside edges of the beads In mounting a pneumatic tire on theexpandable chuck the procedure is similar to that previously describedin connection with the air bag 22. When the legs or spokes 6 areretracted and a tire is placed on the device so that itrests on theuppermost of the foot elements 34, the beads 31 of the tire seatthemselves on the abut ments 35 and 36 when the foot elements aredistended. This seating action results from the sloping or crownedconstruction of the central portion 39 of each of the foot elements,which causes the beads 31 to slide thereover until/they aasasesrest...on the, abutments atv .the edges of. the foot elements, I 1

QIt is. contemplated to provide each of. the chucks or mounting; deviceswith a supplementary or secondsetof foot elementssuchas thoseillustrated in Figs. v8: and 9 which are to, be used conjunction; withthe first or primary set of footelementsshown, in-Figs, 6.and 7.. Thesupplementary 1foot elements are for use when mounting tires ofrelatively large size, and serve, in effect, as extensions; of the;footing elements Each of the supplementary foot elements comprises abody portion 4| which is provided with a dovetail sliding connection 42with the body portion 34 of the primary foot element. The body portion4| is slidable axially with respect to th body portion 34 of the primaryfoot element and has a central portion 43 which embraces the crown ordome 39 of the primary Ioot element. Extension members 44 are formed onthe body 4| in spaced relation with respect to one another and aresurmounted by abutments 45 and 46 which correspond to the abutments 35and 36 previously described, for receiving the beads 31 of a tire 38.

A crown or raised portion 41 extends between the abutments 45 and 46between the beads 31 of the tire and at its ends is formed withshoulders 48 corresponding to the shoulders 49 of the crown 39. A rod orpin 49 is slidably mounted an enlarged portion 50 formed at the centralpart of the crown 41 intermediate the abutments 45 and 45. This rodextends through a bore in the central part 43 of the supplementary footelement and seats in a socket formed in the crown 39 of the primaryfooting element, thus latching or looking the elements together andpreventing lateral or axial sliding movement of the secondary footelement with respect to the primary footing element. A cross piece 54 issecured on the rod 49 by a pin 55 and a compression spring 56 is carriedon th rod 49 between the cross piece 54 and the enlarged portion 59 ofthe crown 47. Thus the spring 56 normally urges the latch rod 49 towardthe central part 43 of the supplementary foot element and into lockingengagement with the primary foot element. The cross member 54 serves asa finger hold for the operator when retracting the latch rod 49 toremove the supplementary foot element.

The present invention thus provides a chuck for mounting an annuluswhich automatically engages the annulus and locks it in position priorto the rotation thereof, and, after the operation or process to beperformed on the rotating annulus is completed, is arranged toautomatically release the annulus upon arresting the rotation of theshaft on which the chuck is mounted. Interchangeable sets of felloes orfoot elements are provided for use in combination with a single spideror rotatable member, and in the case of foot elements for mountingpneumatic tires the, secondary foot elements are employed in combinationwith primary foot elements so as to quickly adapt the chuck or mountingdevice for tires of different size.

Other modes of utilizing the principles of the present invention may beresorted to change being made in the details of construction as desired,it being understood that the embodiments of the invention set forthabove and shown in the drawings are given for purposes ofillustrationfiand description, numerous alterations and substitutions,of parts being. contemplated.

WhatiI'claim is: 12' In; an apparatus. for rotatably supporting atire,.and having-a rotatable memberand a plur'ality of rods adapted tobe projected from the rotatable member; elements: on the rods forengaging the beads; of a tire, said elements. be.- ing of greater. axialthan circumferential extent relative to the rotatable member, and eachhaving. an) upstandingitapered domeof lesslength thanthe element: to.provide abutments on the ends of the elements which receive the beads ofa tire, and th sides of the dome serving to guide the beads onto theabutments as the rods are projected.

2. In an apparatus for rotatably supporting a tire, and having arotatable member and a plurality of rods adapted to be projected fromthe rotatable member, a first set of elements secured on the rods forengaging the beads of a tire, said elements having elongated bodyportions and raised central portions of less length and width than thebody portions, and with sloping sides, the ends of the elements beyondthe central portions forming abutments to receive the beads of a tire,and a second set of tire carrying elements, each slidably received overan element of the first set in interfitting relation therewith, saidelements of the second set being arranged to individually straddle theraised portions of the first set of elements and individually havingportions in bearing engagement with the bodies of the first set ofelements on opposite sides of the straddle raised portions.

3. In an apparatus for rotatably supporting a tire, and having arotatable member and a plurality of rods adapted to be projected fromthe rotatable member, a first set of elements secured on the rods forengaging the beads of a tire, said elements having elongated bodyportions and raised central portions of less length and width than thebody portions, and with sloping sides, the ends of the elements beyondthe central portions forming abutments to receive the beads of a tire, asecond set of tire carrying elements, each slidably received over anelement of the first set in interfitting relation therewith, saidelements of the second set being arranged to individually straddle theraised portions of the first set of elements and individually havingportions in bearing engagement with the bodies of the first set ofelements on opposite sides of the straddled raised portions, andspring-actuated locking means carried by the elements of the second setand engageable with the elements of the first set to prevent relativesliding between the elements.

4. A tire support comprising a rotatable spider member having aplurality of elongated leg members mounted thereon for approximatelyradial movement with respect to the rotational axis of the spider, meansfor simultaneously shifting all the leg members to project the endsthereof radially beyond the spider, and foot elements for retaining atire on the ends of the leg members, said elements each having means inits radially inner side for attaching the same to one of the legelements and having on its radially outer side a tapered dome, the domesbeing of less extent than the foot elements to provide a pair of spacedabutments disposed on opposite sides of each dome for receiving thebeads of a tire mounted on, the support, each pair oi one of the legmembers, a second foot element mounted on each first foot element andextendlng radially beyond the latter, said first and second footelements having interfitting engagement with one another for relativesliding movement in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of thespider member, and a pin mounted in one of the foot elements on each legmemher for radial movement and being engageable with the other footelement on such leg member to lock the elements together.

WALTER J. BRETH.

